Honor and Glory: Struggle for Power
by Shalan the Magnificent
Summary: A competition to find the strongest fighter in all of the Seireitei has been set up. An all out no holds battle arena has been erected… is this another corruption plot or will it unlock secrets to the Soul Society’s dark past? IchiRuki RenTat IshiOC
1. A Plot of Mixed Peoples

**Title: **Honor and Glory: Struggle for Power

**Summary: **A competition to find the strongest fighter in all of the Seireitei has been set up. An all out no holds battle arena has been erected… is this another corruption plot or will it unlock secrets to the Soul Society's dark past? IchiRuki RenTat IshiOC

**Shalan's Shout Out:** Howdy Y'all! How're you doing? I'm at it again… this one came to me… while I was watching Burst Angel… I know… I should probably focus on the others but I mean… I've been updating those like crazy I just need a break… sorry… but I promise… I will update them sometime next week… and if you're lucky… maybe this weekend…

**Note: **I just thought you guys should know that I actually like Mayuri… and once he takes off his mask… he's really hot… XD of course most of the captains are… meaning the men of course… most of them mind you not all… but I think that he should just go without his mask… XDDD just a side note… he shows up quite often in this one… and may even have a pairing… not with Nemu…

**Disclaimer: **I Do Not Own Bleach.

**Chapter: **A Plot of Mixed Peoples

&&&

"Hot chocolate!" Kisuke exclaimed as Yoruichi handed him a steaming mug.

"Why are you drinking hot chocolate at this time of year?" A woman's voice spoke over the cell phone that he had in his hand.

"Because it's as cold as shit in the house…" Kisuke shivered and the woman laughed.

"Kisuke the last time I checked shit was fairly warm so that's not a good explanation…"

"If you lived in this house your shit would have icicles…" Kisuke grumbled.

"What was that?" Her voice darkened. "Now what were you talking about?" He sipped from the mug.

"Hmmm… my tong'!" He exclaimed. "Ow ow ow… ho'!" Yoruichi chuckled and he looked over. The tall dark skinned woman stood in the doorway with a slight smile on her face and he stared at her. "You di' 'his…" He scowled at her and she nodded.

"KISUKE!" The woman's voice shouted and he turned his attention back to the phone.

"Yes… what is it darling?" He asked mockingly and he could almost feel her anger over the phone. "Temper, temper… come now… calm down… how are you all doing in the Soul Society?"

"How would you like to come and see?" Her voice was taunting and he frowned.

"You interest me young one… continue…" He sipped on the hot chocolate again.

&&&

"Once more Uryu!" His sensei's voice rang across the training arena. He looked over. She was still there. Only a year before… he had received an email from a woman telling him that she had been contacted by his grandfather. He had come to find out that she was a German woman that travelled the world quite often… and because of this she hadn't received his grandfather's letter until some years after his death. When she had contacted him he wouldn't dare believe her… there were only two practicing Quincy left on the planet, weren't there?

"Katarina-sensei!" He complained as she stared at him blankly. "I think I've done enough for today…" he panted, sweat pouring down his face and chest.

"Uryu! If you quit now… you will always just quit when you get tired… go through it again!" She shouted. He sighed and jumped off, running through the complicated obstacle course she had created. When she had arrived he had been even more shocked. Her power was simply amazing. His father had remarked that he was the true genius of the Quincy… but she seemed to be more powerful than even him.

Katarina von Hausen.

The last remaining Quincy female… she was truly deserving of her title. Uryu looked at her as he flipped over one of the bars that was in his way. She stood there, her sandy blonde hair braided all the way down hung just below her shoulder blades. Her bangs were brushed to one side… and she reminded him of someone… but he hadn't yet been able to put his finger on it. She stood on the platform nearby in a pair of knee length tan cargo shorts with a tight white long sleeved shirt. Her bare feet were buried slightly in the sandy ground of the ocean side training grounds.

"THAT'S GOOD URYU!" She called to him and he landed on the ground in front of her. "Woo…" she jumped slightly. "You shouldn't scare beautiful young women like that…" He shrugged, well knowing that he hadn't surprised her at all… "Now I have some…" they looked over at where her jacket was. Her cell phone was ringing from within her jacket pocket.

"Who's calling you?" Uryu's eyebrow lifted and she shrugged, walking over and picking it up.

"Katarina…" She answered it by flipping the brilliant pink RAZR open. "Guten tag…" She smiled. "How have you been doing?" Uryu lifted his eyebrow further. "Ah… you shouldn't say such things…" she blushed slightly. "Yes… of course I remember… hold on I have someone here…" She turned to him. "Uryu your training is finished for today…" she told him and he sighed happily. Saved by the cell phone…

"So how have you been doing my darling?" Kisuke asked as she laughed, watching Uryu disappear from the training chamber.

"I've been doing alright and you?" She asked as she sat down. "What is this all about Urahara? You haven't called me in years…"

"I have a proposition for you that you may be interested in…" She smiled lightly, her red lips parting.

"You have me hooked… tell me more…" she leaned back on the roman couch as he began to speak.

&&&

He sat in his lab, looking at a file. His cell phone rang. "Nemu! Get that…" he called. There was no response. He sighed impatiently. "NEMU!" he called again. "Oh… that's right…" he grouched and stood up. "I told her to go get me something to eat… how annoying…" he frowned and picked up the phone.

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi?" He heard a soft feminine voice on the other line.

"That German accent… it couldn't be…" he licked his lips to wet them slightly. He could almost hear her smile as she spoke again.

"It's been a long time…" she said and he looked up as Nemu walked into the room. He was actually rather glad he had answered the phone instead of Nemu. Suddenly images flashed before his eyes and his heart nearly stopped, buttery blonde hair spilled across a cold metal table, crimson lips parted, panting in his ear.

"Yes…" he stopped and swallowed, his voice nearly squeaked. "How have you been doing?" he coughed and Nemu looked over at him.

"I've been alright…" She laughed and again images flashed across his memory. Sakura blossoms falling around her as she laughed, her blonde hair pulled back in a braid. Her red lips as they brushed his for the first time. "I have heard a lot about you though…" suddenly he turned red. He wasn't sure why… but for some reason hearing her say that made him halfway embarrassed…

"What exactly does that mean?" He growled as Nemu walked over.

"I heard you have a daughter now…" she smiled and he looked at Nemu who bowed as she put his food on the table.

"Something like that…" he nodded at Nemu and she bowed again, walking off.

"Nemu Kurotsuchi huh?" She smiled. "Surprising… I would have never thought you were the fathering type…" she was teasing him… he hated being teased but for some reason… her laugh rang in his head again.

"Get to your point von Hausen…" he spat and then he regretted it as he heard her fall silent.

"Alright… I have a proposition for you… that I think you may be interested in…" She smiled again but he knew the damage was done… she was mad at him.

&&&

"Ichigo…" he turned his head to look over at the short black haired woman. "What are you doing?"

"Reminiscing…" he ran a thumb along the scar across his chest and shoulder. "Just remembering some old battles…" Her arms wrapped around his waist.

"Stop reminiscing… there's nothing here but me…" She looked into his eyes in the mirror.

"Rukia…" he smiled and reached back wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her up against him. "I know… but that doesn't mean I can't think about the past… besides… it was my past that lead me to you isn't it?" Her hand slid across his etched chest and abdomen, feeling the tightly wound muscles there as well as the deep grooves from the wounds he had received.

"Yeah…" she smiled, resting her cheek against his chest, her ear pressed to his heart as she closed her eyes. She could hear his heart beating, the steady ba-bump of the most powerful muscle in his body pumping blood to every vein in his impressive muscular system. She felt his wrap his arms around her and she smiled into his warm flesh, planting a kiss there and he smiled, looking into the mirror.

"Captain Kurosaki?" They both looked over into the doorway. "Woops… sorry…" Momo flushed and Ichigo lifted an eyebrow.

"It's alright Momo… we were just talking…" Ichigo smiled and Momo relaxed.

"Uhm… you've been requested on the phone in your office… I told them to wait on hold…" Hinamori grinned. "Do you want me to…"

"Nah. Tell 'em I'll be right there… I don't see why they can't just come out here they know where I live…" his eyebrows furrowed.

"Ichigo… it's the way we do things here…" Rukia squeezed him lightly. Ichigo looked down. Five years. It had been five years since she had changed his life.

"We need to change they way people do things here…" Ichigo told her and she chuckled.

"I think you've changed their ways forcefully enough already…" she slapped his well-built chest and he laughed as he pulled up his gi.

"Captain…" they turned around to look at Momo again and she smiled. "They're waiting…" he sighed and suddenly was pulled down into a searing kiss that made _Momo_ blush.

"Alright… I get it… I belong to you but can I go and let myself belong to my office for a few minutes?" She let go of him but not before squeezing his butt and he patted her cheek teasingly. "You're so grab-assy…"

"I am not!" She protested. "Why are you calling me that? It don't do that all the time!" He backed away and Momo did as well. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING THAT?" He turned tail after his lieutenant.

"S-SORRY CAPTAIN!" She shouted as she disappeared.

"WA-WAIT MOMO! WAIT FOR ME!" He ran, looking over his shoulder as the short woman stormed out the door. "Gotta get outta here…" he used flash steps and disappeared.

&&&

Renji yawned, walking out of his office then was suddenly blow over by an orange, black and white blur. "KUROSAKI!" He bellowed and the blur swung around.

"RENJI!" The blur ran past again then doubled again and disappeared. Renji sighed lightly then lifted his arms into the air and stretched nearly every bone in his body popping as he bent over backwards with something near a roar.

"Renji… are you alright?" Izuru asked him and Renji nodded.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He blinked.

"Uh… you sounded like you were in pain just now…" Izuru told him and Renji blinked.

"No… I was stretching Izuru…" Renji looked over. "C'mon let's get going… I heard there was some crazy thing going on at the General's common…" He walked off and Izuru followed the former lieutenant.

&&&

Something beeped from the side table in the pitch black room. A mutter from the tangled mass of pillows and blankets. A figure sat up from the pile and rubbed one eye while yawning. Her shoulder length hair slightly messy as she leaned over and grabbed the little noise maker then snuggled back under the blankets.

"Who is it?" A deep voice said from beside her as she answered it.

"Captain Hasegawa… draft beers all night long for just six bucks…" she mumbled into the phone as she rubbed her eye again. "Hmm? A meeting?" She turned her head to look at the clock. "Tell them I can't make it Shuhei…" she yawned.

"But captain…" he groaned into the phone.

"Shuhei…" she whined back. "It's 4 AM… please just tell them that I'm going to miss this one…" she heard him grumble something else. "Then go for me and tell me about it later…" she yawned. "Byebye now…" she clicked the cell phone shut and tucked it under one of the pillows.

"What's this about a captain's meeting?" The voice said as a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her waist as she buried her face into his neck.

"I don't care…" she bit the skin of his neck lightly.

"If they find you here you're going to get into trouble…" his voice warned and she looked up at him.

"They can't touch me…" she smiled. "You'll make sure of that… right Quincy-boy?" her iridescent blue eyes met his cerulean.

"Your eyes glow in the dark…" he chuckled and she blinked then nodded. "Why is that?" He pushed some of her hair from her face. She leaned up and kissed him, slowly, gently, deeply. "Are you trying to wipe the question from my mind?" He whispered as they met again.

"Mmmhmmm…" she nodded as he pinned her to the bed, their lips clashing for dominance. "You want me to tell you?" She asked him as he hovered over her.

"Why don't you do th…" his eyes narrowed as more noise came from beneath the pillow. "I'll get it…"

"Uryu!" She laughed as he pulled it out and flopped over on the bed. "Give me that!" He examined the caller ID.

"Jushiro… Ukitake… why is Jushiro calling you?" He asked her, his hand on her collarbone, holding her away from him as she tried to reach for her phone.

"Maybe to tell me to get my butt out of bed and come to the Soul Society? URYU! Give me THAT!" She jumped over his arm and planted fell down with a yelp onto his stomach which earned her a grunt from him as she struggled across his body to his other arm.

"Ooop… it stopped…" they both looked over at the little phone in his hand. She glared at him as his arm tightened around her waist.

"Uryu! Give me the phone before every other captain in the Gotei decides to call…" she groaned and he chuckled. "Wah!" The phone rang again and she dove for it but his arms kept her in place. "URYU!" She complained.

"It's Renji this time…" Uryu looked at it. She grumbled something about him being a jack ass. "I am not… I'm just angry that you and your little cult decided to wake me up at four in the morning!"

"Cult! Uryu!" She reached for it again as it stopped ringing. "URYU!" He chuckled again.

"C'mon… just turn it off and let's go back to sleep…" he looked over as the phone rang again. "Shunsui Kyoraku… so he has your number too?" His eyes twinkled.

"Uryu ISHIDA!" She scowled at him. "I am going to break your arm if you don't give me that phone…" he looked over at her.

"Fine…" he sighed. "I was just having a little fun…" he tossed the little phone back to her and she answered it.

"Captain Hasegawa…" she was panting lightly.

"You've been a bad girl Kazi-chan…" Shunsui joked and she growled.

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT ALL OF YOU WERE CALLING JUST TO WAKE ME UP!?" She roared into the phone and Uryu laughed.

"Well actually… we have a few questions for you concerning this proposition you've been talking about…" Jushiro chuckled.

"Aah… so you've caught wind of that…" she smiled.

&&&

That was a funny chapter to write XD I had a lot of fun with it… this will probably been an action packed story… you'll find out what the proposition is in the second chapter… anyways…

READ AND REVIEW

Shalan


	2. Announcement to Consider: The Beginning

**Chapter: **An Announcement to Consider: The Beginning

**Shalan's Say: **Yo! What's up dudes… I am so happy to get to write this chapter… I can't WAIT until the last chapter of this story… because… it's going to be an awesome last chapter… anyways… read and review por favor…

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The Winter War was over… it had been for a few years… but for some reason… something just hadn't turned back to normal… ah… yes… Kazumi touched her finger to the problem before her in the dark room. She heard the slow drip of water in the background and her eyes opened to see nothing but a ring of images. She had found herself within the deepest caverns of her mind.

"Hello again Kazumi…" the beautiful blonde woman stood before her, her eyes hidden in shadow beneath the white cloth that covered the top of her head.

"Amaterasu…" she bowed her head. "I am lost and need your guidance…" she spoke softly as a hand rested on her head.

"Kazumi… you can always ask for my guidance… in whatever you may pursue…" the woman's long red hair hung to her knees which were covered by a long white dress that fit around her body neatly with a long silky skirt.

"I have made a wrong choice…"

"Is this concerning the Quincy?" Amaterasu asked softly and Kazumi looked up slowly.

"You know… about…" Amaterasu nodded. "Oh that's right… you're my zanpakūto… you know everything…" she smiled and the woman above her lifted her up to stand.

"Why do you always kneel before me young one?" Kazumi's eyes darkened slightly.

"Because… I am not worthy to be standing in your presence… for it is you that has guided me through all of my battles and numerous fights." Amaterasu placed a hand gently on the side of her face.

"My advice to you is composed of several things…" she said and leaned down to Kazumi's level. "You must trust me… because I will be sure to explain everything…" Kazumi nodded.

&&&

Rukia snuggled up against the warm flesh beside her with a yawn. Her blue eyes fluttered open and she yawned again.

"Rukia… you're awake…" Ichigo smiled down at her and she looked up sleepily.

"Not really…" The young woman shook her head and Ichigo laughed as she attempted to get closer to him. "You're warm…" she told him and he nodded.

"Thank you…" he laughed. "The leaves are falling from the trees…" he nodded towards the window and she rolled over in his arms to look out.

"Finally… that means that winter will be here soon…" she yawned again and he pulled her body against his again.

"CA-CAPTAIN!" Ichigo laughed out loud as Momo stood in the doorway. "S-s-sorry… I did it again didn't I?" Her face was pink and Ichigo rolled over.

"We were just snuggling Momo… nothing too serious…" he flipped his legs out of the bed and stood up, his black boxers riding up slightly. He fixed them and stretched luxuriously into the air.

"S-sorry… again Rukia…" Momo looked away and Rukia shrugged, snuggling into the warm spot her husband had left.

"It's okay as long as I have this warm spot here on the bed…" Ichigo made a face at her then she frowned and stuck her tongue out. His tongue poked out the corner of his mouth as he grabbed hers and pulled.

"Gyah! Ikigo!" She complained and he let her tongue go. "Go! Get out of here and don't come back…"

"The Kurosakis sure are rowdy in the morning aren't they?" Renji walked by, a smaller woman walking next to him.

"Shut your mouth Abarai!" Ichigo stuck his head out the door and jutted his jaw as Renji looked at him over his shoulder and waved teasingly.

"He's always so angry…" the shorter redhead nodded and Renji chuckled. "Why is that? He has no reason…" Kazumi Hasegawa stuck her tongue out with a smile.

"Sometimes I wonder if you ever grew up…" she shook her head.

"Nope… never did want to do that… sounded too boring…" she waved her hand at him. Her uniform was similar to Soi Fon's as it had no back to it. Kazumi always explained that it had something to do with her final release… though no one ever saw it.

"Yeah… I guess… but you gotta grow up sometime…" Renji told her as they walked by his former captain's barracks. "Byakuya!" He waved as the older captain stepped out of his office. He nodded to them and walked out, falling into step with them.

"Kazumi, Abarai…" Kazumi smiled.

"Why do you call me Abarai and her Kazumi?" Renji looked over at him.

"Because I'm used to calling you that… calling you Renji would be… odd…" Byakuya frowned at him.

"Byakuya!" Jushiro nodded to him and Byakuya nodded back.

"Boy isn't this odd… we all seem to be heading the same direction…" Shunsui dropped, literally, into step with Kazumi and she laughed.

"Good morning captain Unohana!" Kazumi nodded and Retsu nodded back.

"It's a wonder really… why would you be even asking Shunsui?" Jushiro looked over at him and the captain shrugged.

"Hey!" They paused and looked over their shoulders as Ichigo flash stepped to appear behind them. "You all have some nerve-gah!" He stumbled as Kazumi hugged him.

"ICHI-BOZU!" She cheered. She had taken him under her wing since his arrival in the Soul Society and had taught him most of what he knew with the help of Rukia and Byakuya. She and Bykuya had been working especially hard with him on controlling his abilities and using kido.

"GAH! Kazu-mi… leggo!" He tried to pull the vice-like grip off himself.

"Nee-chan…" Toshiro blinked, Rangiku close behind. "What are you doing?"

"Moi? Nada!" She sang as Ichigo attempted to pull the ecstatic woman off from around his neck.

"Was that… French and Spanish in one go Kazumi? You're getting stranger…" Shunsui and Jushiro pulled her off as the former spoke.

"Thank you…" Ichigo coughed, rubbing his neck.

"You could have dodged that Kurosaki…" Zaraki boomed from behind him and he looked up.

"Good morning Kenpachi…" Kazumi gave him a thumbs up and he blinked then looked as Yachiru gave her a thumbs up back.

"Good morning captains: better than you, mom, ryoka, anger management, grumpy pants, tuberculosis and grab ass… and Renji…" Renji smiled. She hadn't thought of a captain's nickname for him yet.

"Good thing… we didn't teach her any bad language…" Captain "Mom" shot at captain "grab ass". Kyoraku shrugged with a grin as Unohana scowled.

"Why does everyone think that I'm captain grab ass?" Shunsui protested.

"Okay… lessee…" Ichigo looked around. "Byakuya's Captain Better than You… Kazumi's Captain Anger Management, I'm Captain Ryoka, Captain Mom is Unohana, Captain Grumpy Pants is Toshiro…" the angry snowball gave him a dirty look and he grinned, "Captain Tuberculosis is obviously Jushiro-kun and that leaves Grab Ass… you…" Ichigo pointed at him. "And obviously Renji is Renji…" He chuckled.

"Well… I see…" Kyoraku considered this then smiled. "Okay… Captain Grab Ass it is…" Jushiro sighed and hung his head. His best friend was hopeless.

"Good morning Captain Bitch Ninja!" Yachiru waved as Soi Fon flash stepped by. She waved unenthusiastically then disappeared again.

"Well now that we're all here and accounted for…" Jushiro blinked as Ichigo wiggled a finger.

"Ah… Captain Eat Your Face isn't here…" Yachiru pointed out and Ichigo nodded as they continued walking. Most of the captains in recent years had begun talking more often with each other. Kenpachi tended to stay out of most of it but he did visit with Kazumi, Ichigo and Renji from time to time. "And… captain Freak Show…"

"Ah yes, Kurotsuchi and Komamura… well… it doesn't matter we don't have a meeting today anyways…" Jushiro sighed.

"You're right… what's going on today anyways?" Ichigo blinked at him.

"We haven't got any idea… if you have some insight for us Kurosaki… please tell us…" Kyoraku patted him on the back.

"You do seem to always know something Ichigo…" Toshiro looked over at him.

"What? Kazumi knows everything… not me!" He pointed at her.

"Nee-chan…" Kazumi nearly fell over, leave it to Kurosaki to put their attention on her while she was trying to sneak away.

"I honestly haven't got a clue…" she smiled and they all eyed her. "See ya!" She flash stepped away and they all sighed.

"She's hopeless… where's she going anyways?" Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed further and Unohana looked over at him.

"To see… that pet of hers… what's his name?" She looked over at Jushiro who blinked.

"Ichi… Is… Ishida?" Kyoraku mulled it over his tongue. "Ishida…" he nodded and Ichigo laughed.

"Uryu?" Ichigo nearly sounded surprised then he remembered… that's right… she had always seemed interested in him.

"Yeah… that's right… that's the name…" Shunsui gave Jushiro a sly look and they began to laugh as Renji blinked then joined them.

"Why are you three laughing?" Ichigo was at a loss as they laughed.

"Oh they played some stupid trick on her the other day and she got really mad at them…" Byakuya said off handedly. "How childish…c'mon…" he walked off and Ichigo sighed, walking off after him.

&&&

"Mayuri…" A woman's voice spoke to him and his eyes fluttered open. "Mayuri… you're awake…" crimson lips parted to show straight white teeth.

"Ka-Katarina?" He sat up with a groan and she smiled. "What… where am I?" he looked around.

"When was the last time you were in your bedroom?" The blonde woman smiled again and he blinked at her. Images flashed across his mind. Milky white breasts swelling over his hands, his waist between a pair of long muscular legs, a gasp in his ears. Suddenly he was snapped back into reality and she was still smiling. In her hand was a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.

"A long time ago…" he looked away and she handed him the bowl.

"I brought you breakfast…" he looked down. "Nemu said you hadn't been eating regularly lately… so I figured you should eat."

"Why are you taking care of me like nothing ever happened?" His eyes narrowed and she blinked at him.

"What?" Her breathe caught in her throat. He could hear it. He knew her heart had stopped for the briefest of moments. She had been trying to ignore it… she had been trying to block it out. "I…" she looked away, sitting down cross legged on the tatami floor. This time it was her turn to think back. Looking out of a tank of liquid to see his eyes watching her as she breathed through tubes pressed through her nose. Her eyes fluttered back open and suddenly sapphire met gold and he suddenly felt something close to remorse…

"Are you… here for a reason?" he almost reached out to her, but something stopped him. His tainted hands shouldn't be touching such a beautiful creature but before he knew it she had drawn his hand to her face, holding it against the soft flesh of her cheek. His eyes softened as he looked at her closed eyes. "You've lost weight…" he sighed.

"You've lost ears…" her eyes met his and he saw her smile play at the corners of her mouth.

"Yes… yes I have…" Mayuri nodded and she combed her fingers through his wild blue hair and he smiled almost softly. His eyes averted and he looked into the corner where Nemu sat, watching with curiosity. She had never seen her captain act quite like this…

"Why don't you have any ears…" His attention was taken back from Nemu to her. His hands gripped his hakama tightly. "You did things to yourself didn't you…" she asked and he looked away from her. "Didn't you?" She gripped his jaw and turned his head back to look at her. "Answer me Mayuri…"

"Perhaps…" his voice echoed in her mind and she dropped back from him. "Katarina… you have to understand… I'm a man of sci-wh-what are you doing?" Her hands gripped his gi and pulled it open.

"Mayuri…" she nearly gasped as she saw the scars across his body. She dropped back from him again.

"It was all in the…" his eyes opened wide as she curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around her legs and pressing her face into her knees, crying. "Katarina…" he watched her in awe… why would she be crying for him?

&&&

"Alright! EVERYONE BE QUIET!" A voice shouted from the center of the arena. A few figures stood on a platform, most of them with grins on their faces; a large curtain was wrapped in a square around something behind them all. The top was covered to make sure that no one saw what was inside.

"I'm so happy you all came today…" a second voice spoke. "My name is Katarina von Hausen… how are all of you?" An energetic response was given from the hundreds of men and women present. "Ladies, gentlemen… and Quincy…" She nodded her head towards Uryu who shrugged and the squad behind him laughed as he sat in front of Kazumi's squad in her place. Shuhei shrugged when he asked where she was.

"I get the feeling that all of you are half wondering what you're doing here… and half just happy that you got out of doing work right?" A blonde man took the microphone from her and Kisuke waved. "I'm sure you all remember me… Kisuke Urahara…" a roar went up from the 12th division. "Hi there!" He waved energetically. "Anyways… we're here to tell you about a little tournament we have devised… you all wanna know what's going on?" Another roar went up. "WELL ALRIGHTY THEN!"

Kisuke walked over to the curtain. "This will be a tournament, starting in December, that will be a competition to find the strongest fighter in all of the Soul Society… yes! I said ALL! Even the Captains and Lieutenants may enter… but all of you… will be limited to certain levels depending on the round we're in… the captains… you all may think… are going to have an easy time and will most certainly win out… well yes… but… you all are going to be given a second chance… and besides…who wouldn't pay money to see two captains duke it out in an all out match that'll blow you out of your seat?" They all roared again.

"The second chance will be explained after the preliminary rounds are fought out… this will be set up in a series of rounds… the preliminaries will consist of 10 rounds. Those who break to demi-finals will go through five rounds, narrowing the playing field by most… leaving us with 16 semi-final contestants. Semi-finals will consist of four fights with eight people breaking four to finals. There will be three matches in finals. Two to decide who moves on to the final match and one to decide the winner… now doesn't that sound like FUN?" Kisuke shouted and they hollered and whistled.

"LOSING TO SOMEONE STRONGER THAN YOU IS NOT A SIN PEOPLE! BUT! Losing to someone… who is far weaker than you… is a crime…" Katarina told them. "Just keep that in mind…" she grinned evilly. "I bet… you're wondering what's behind this curtain right?" She stepped back next to Urahara and Kisuke smirked.

"What's behind the curtain?" Shuhei blinked then looked around. Uryu had already figured it out.

"It's a very good friend of ours…" Urahara yanked the curtain down to reveal Kazumi, sitting on a chair looking rather bemused. "This… is… not right!" She picked Kazumi up by her jacket and Kazumi laughed. "She's not supposed to be in the throne…" Kazumi laughed as she stood up. "This is the one that's paying for all of this to happen… our sponsor… CAPTAIN KAZUMI HASEGAWA!" Another roar from the crowd.

&&&

"Hmm… interesting proposal you have Kazumi…" Byakuya spoke to her over dinner.

"I get the feeling that the recovery rooms are going to be full aren't they?" Unohana sighed as she looked over at Ichigo and Renji who were forehead to forehead arguing about who was going to win. Rukia sat beside them with a sweat drop on the side of her face and Kazumi looked over with a chuckle.

"Are all of you going to fight?" She asked and the others nodded. "Good… we need as many captains and lieutenants as we can get… Mayuri?"

"Oh… I'm not going to be fighting… you know that…" he nearly jumped out of his skin and they all blinked at him. It wasn't like Mayuri Kurotsuchi to be so… jumpy.

"Are you… alright?" Jushiro frowned at him and Mayuri blinked and nodded, he stood up.

"I'll be excused," the blue haired captain then walked out of the room and the other captains tilted their heads in unison.

"He is… by far… one of THE strangest people I know…" Shunsui folded his arms.

"I'll agree to that…" Toshiro nodded.

"C'mon you guys… cut him a little slack…" they all stared at her with blank expressions.

"What is there a full moon or something? Since when has Kazumi Hasegawa defended Mayuri Kurotsuchi twice in one day?" Ichigo laughed.

"I'm just saying… I know what it's like to have some ghosts from your past visit you… in the present…" flashes of blue eyes and white hair ran past her mind. "Ghosts from your past…" she closed her eyes and heard him breathing in her ears.

&&&

Hmmm… that was an interesting chapter wasn't it? I really thought it was… getting interesting… it was funny at times… but uhm… I must pay my respects:

The part with all the captain's names that Yachiru called them… three were mine and the rest were from an icon I saw once… uhm and the thing about "you've lost weight, you've lost ears" was taken from Frida… "you've lost weight, you've lost toes"

Sorry… Just thought I'd let you know… XDD more to come in the next chapter… and was… was Mayuri in love with a QUINCY? Hmmmm…

XD I just thought about something… THE QUINCY ARE TAKING OVER THE WORLD!

Shalan


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